Electric alarm and signal for air-brakes.



I. B. SNAPP; ELECTRIC ALARM AND SIGNAL FOR AIR BRAKES.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 4, 1911.

Patented Feb. 4:, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses My W/ W2 r 0f i. B. SNAPP. ELECTRIC ALARM AND SIGNAL FORAIRBRAKES.

Patented. Feb. 4, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 g m & s if Attorneys ders, ,or other moving "matic viewof the invention as the individual condition I-RA B. SNAPP OE CL IFTONFORGE,

YVIBGINIYAI.

ELECTBIC ALARM AND SIGNAL FOR AIR-BRAKES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December 4, 1911.

Patented Feb .4,1913. Serial No. 663,696.

To'aZZ 107mmz't may concern.-

vention being the provision of an apparatus.

disposed throughout the length of the train and provided withQOIltfiCtdQViCQS opera-bly disposed with relation to the brakecylinparts, whereby the conditionof the respective brakes through outthe train, that is whether set by application or by emergency, or byanybreakage due to the breaking of parts of slide valve or the springwithin the brake cylinder or the leakage of air therefrom, will bevisually i11- dicated in the cab of the locomotive and in theczirziiicctetl, there being given an audible alarm in the cab of thelocomotive simultaneously with the visual indication.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction herein describedand claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodimentof invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what isclaimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Inthe drawings.Figure 1 is a diagramapplied to a locomotive and severalcars. Fig. 2 is a view of a portion of the locomotive brake cylinderwith a diagram of the electrical connection adjacent thereto mounted inthe locomotive cab. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing in addition tothe general alarm and signal system, a means for indi cation to theengineman or other operator, of the respective brake cylinders.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the batteries, orany other source of electrical energy, preferably carried by thelocomotive L. Leading from the batteries is a conduc or 2 which isadapted to be extended throughout the length of the train with propersocket connections be-.

.theg resnegtivej-brake tween the respective cars C,'and havingconnected thereto adjacent to the respective brake cylinders B the shortbranch conduc-v tors 3. These branch conductors are connected to therespective movable contacts 4 each of which is provided with its contactterminal 5, said portion 4 thereof being-con, nected to and carried bythe brake cylind'iipiston 6.

Disposed throughout the length of the train are a series of fourconductors 7, 8, 9 and 10, which with the conductor 2 in the respectivecars are made into a cable, whereby the connections ofthe cable betweenthe respective cars and locomotive, will form the proper circuitconnections.

In the locomotive leading from the respective wires 7 8, 9, and 10 arethe branch wires 11, 12, 13 and 14 respectively, while connect ed to thesame wires in the respective cars are the branch wires 11', 12, 13 and14 respectively, the first set of; wires havingtheir terminals connectedto l the respective ad justable terminals or contacts 15, 16, 17 and 18respectively, at the locomotive, while't-he second set is connected tosimilar terminals or contacts 15, 16, 17 and 18 respectively.

Connected to the branch conductors l1, 12, 13 and 14 respectively, arethe audible sig- 11:11 21 and the visual signal 22 while leadingtherefrom to the opposite side of the bat teries to the conductor 2, arethe branch conductors .23, By this means the visual and audible-signal'sare operated in view and hearing of the engineman and indicate the exactcause and 24, 25 and 26' respectively.

the condition of. the brakes throughout the train, that is the contact15 will indicate that some one of the brake cylinders is leaking toprevent theapplication of the brakes, contact 16 will indicate that thebrakes are applied as "desired, contact '17 will indicate an emergencyapplicatio-mwhile contact 18 will indicate any other condition notprovided for in case the rod is moved too far toward the cylinder.

In order that the car may be located in which the trouble has arisenthere is placed in the respective branch wiresll', 12, 13 and 14 thevisual indicators 27.

The respective cont-acts 15,15, 16, 16 17, 17, and 1 8, 18,areconnected'adjustably to a baril9 of insulation which-is carsleeve 20connected to ried by'a clamping cylinders B, and else conductor 30. Inmany cases,

where suitable,"and by this means the same may be adjusted upon the saidbar 19 in the proper relative position to be engaged by the contact arm5 as the same is move with the brake'cylinder piston rod 6.

In Fig. 3, in addition to giving a general alarm and signal, as setforth, an annunciator 28 which is constructed similarly to the usualform of hotel or other indicator, is placed in the cab of the engine orin the motor operating end of a motor car, the same having a pluralityof indicators 29 of any form having conductor 30 leading to the sourceoi electrical energy 31, the conductors 33, being connected to thesource 31, and to its individual moving contact 4, of therespective'bralre connection-rods. Connected to the emergency contact ofeach set otbrake cylinders is a conductor 32 which is connected to theindividual pointer operating mechanism of the annunciator 28. Thus itwill be seen that should any one or all of the brake cylinders'be inemergency position, the indicator 29 of its respective brake cylinderwould so indicate, these indicators 29 being energized only when thebrake cylin er is in emergency position. The circuit closed to energizeeach indicator 29vfor indicating the condition of the car brakecylinder, is as follows, viz :the battery 31, the conductor 33, thecollar 4, the arm 5, the emergency contact 16, the conductor 352, theproper indicator 29, andthe all but one of these circuits might beclosed, it having been the intention of the engineman to operate allcylinders to emergency position, and under these conditions, thenon-ener gized indicator 29 would immediately indicate to the enginemanthe exact cylinder not operating, so that the trouble could be lo-;catcd at once. Also by having, indicators such as 29, the cngineman canreadily test out the sensitivcncss of the various cylinders, so that hecan learn to manipulate the engineers live to such a nicety as to bringali cars to the desired stop. a

From the foregoing description'taken in connection with the drawings,itis evident that the condition of the various brake cylindersthroughout the train are indicated both visually and audibly to theengincman in'the cab of the locomotive, and that by such means theengineman is notified so that he can manipulate his brakes to preventany undue sot-ting thereof and thus keep the train at all times underfull control.

i it is evident from the foregoing that this system of alarm and signal,may be applied with equal el'iicicncy upon trolley cars, automobiles, orany class of vehicle in which it brake cylinder rod, a

incense is desired that the condition of the brakes be at all timesknown.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electric signal forindicating the condition of an individualair-brake cylinder of a train to the enainenian, in combination, asource of electrical energy, a conductor led from said source throughoutthe length of the to each brake cylinder led from said conductor, acontact connected to and carried by the rod of each brake cylinder andconnected to its respective branch conductor, a plurality of conductorsled from the opposite side of the source and throughout the length ofthe train, branch conductors leading from each conductor of saidplurality of conduc tors, there being: a set of these branch conductorsto each brake cylinder, a stationary contact connected to each of thelast branch conductors and disposed in spaced relation to each other andin the path of to be engaged successively by the contact carried by thebrake cylinder rod, and a translating device connected to each conductorof the plurality of conductors and mounted in view of the enginenian.

2. In an electric signal for indicating the condition of an individualair-brake cylinder of a train to the engincman, in combination, a sourceof electrical energy, a conductor led from said source throughout thelength of the train, branch coiuluctors, one to each brake cylinder ledfrom said conductor, a

train, branch conductors, one

contact connected to and carried by the rod of each brake cylinder andconnected to its respective branch conductor, a plurality of conductorsled from the opposite side of the source and throughout the length ofthe train, branch conductors leading from each conductor of saidplurality of conductors, there being; a set of these branch conductorsto each brake cylinder, a stationary contact connected to each of thelast branch condoctors and disposed in spaced relation to each other andin the path of to be engaged successively by the contact carried by thetranslating device connected to each'conductor of the plurality ofconductors and mounted in view of the enginen'ian, and a translatingdeviccdisposed in each one of the branch conductorsconnected to thestationary contacts, to indicate locally the condition ot'its brakecylinder.

In ';est-imony that I claim the foregoing as my own, in the presence oftwo witnesses.

I IRA- B. SNAPR. Witnesses Sauna Wmnson, it. E. @IMPSON,

Ill:

I have hereto aiiixed my signature

